Forest as the Breath of Life: Efforts for Sovereignty and Prosperity of the Dayak Seberuang Indigenous Community

Not only as a source of life, but for the Dayak Seberuang Indigenous Community of Silit Village, located in Sepauk District, Sintang Regency, West Kalimantan, the forest is like a breath. There are many cultural heritages of the Dayak Seberuang tradition that have been passed down from generation to generation by their ancestors, attached to the forest. Indeed, recognition of the Dayak Seberuang Indigenous Forest of Silit Village covering an area of ​​4.272 hectares has been determined through the Decree of the Minister of Environment and Forestry in 2022. However, ratification does not automatically make the ecological sustainability in the forest completely protected, careful efforts are still needed.

The Dayak Seberuang Indigenous Community continues to strive to preserve the forest and avoid external threats such as large-scale exploitative extractive investments that damage the environment. One of their efforts is by building community economic independence. They formed the HAKS Sugar Business Group and the Inuk-Inuk Beteras Women's Group which aim to utilize and maximize the potential of local livelihoods, such as sugar palm trees.

Through the support of the Nusantara Fund Direct Funding, efforts to manage natural resources for livelihoods have also been strengthened. Starting with a five-day mapping activity of the potential of sugar palm trees in April 2024. Nine members of Gula Palah managed to identify 102 sugar palm trees in Silit Village, which were divided into productive, young, and non-productive tree categories. The identification of sugar palms covered various locations in the village, such as Impres, Pegelang, and Sungai Tertung. This data is an important basis for knowing the potential for future sugar palm production and determining sustainable development strategies. 

In addition to the potential mapping activities of the sugar palm tree, a three-day joint training on palm sugar was also held involving ten participants from Gula Palah and Inuk-Inuk Beteras. First, participants were trained on how to tap sap from the sugar palm tree to the process of processing the sap into palm sugar. The training provided practical skills ranging from how to tap sap from the sugar palm tree to the process of processing the sap into palm sugar, and knowledge about product packaging techniques according to market standards. In the training on processing palm sugar products, participants were involved in direct practice of processing sap into sugar.

About the use of social media for product promotion so that product marketing can be done more widely is also introduced. The Instagram account @kupskampungsilit is used to introduce local products such as palm sugar and ginger powder. Despite facing the challenge of limited internet access, online promotion will certainly increase the readability of original quality products from Kampung Silit in public spaces, but can also expand the product distribution network, both locally and regionally.

The series of training is to ensure mastery of technical skills from upstream to downstream, such as how to increase productivity and quality of palm sugar and expand market reach. As a result, the quality of palm sugar is better, the finished product is more competitive in the market, and can be sold at a higher price. Palm sugar products are more valuable, in turn this will support the economy of the Silit Village community.

As an effort to develop the business, a production house was also established in July 2024 with a size of 4×6 meters. This building is the center of production of palm sugar and ginger powder. Previously, production was carried out in open areas. This production house provides a decent space for Gula Palah to manage products more efficiently and organized.

Not stopping there, business capital was also provided to the Inuk-Inuk Beteras Women's Group unit in March 2024 to develop ginger powder production. Business capital allows women's groups to start businesses independently, from processing to marketing ginger powder products. With business capital, this group is able to increase the production capacity of ready-to-drink ginger powder drinks. Ginger processing, which was previously only done for personal consumption, can now be marketed outside the village.

From April to August 2024, Gula Palah HAKS and Inuk-Inuk Beteras successfully processed their Taxpayer Identification Number (NPWP) and Business Identification Number (NIB), allowing them to market their products legally. 

Through various activities such as sustainable forest management and development of collective businesses based on local livelihoods, it is the effort of the Dayak Seberuang Indigenous Community to be sovereign while preserving the sustainability of customary forests. The Dayak Seberuang Indigenous Community not only protects the ancestral land and all its livelihoods, but also is sovereign and prosperous from the livelihoods around it.